B&A: Do you own a "book of words"?

I've thought of starting one many times, but I never get around to it. Well, I never get far into it actually. I'll have a notebook set aside for words I don't know the meaning of, but then I'll end up doodling in it or something like that, then, next thing I know, it's not my "book of words" anymore, but more a "book of doodles, ideas, and some words I don't know the meaning of." *sigh* I don't even know if I would be able to carry a notebook around. I've tried *that* as well, and it's...just weird to me.

For instance, last time I went to the movies, I took post-it notes and a pencil to jot down any ideas I got while watching the movie, and my sister (who came with me) said that that was exactly why she didn't like being seen with me in public.

I was weird.

So now I've decided to take post-it notes and a pencil with me everywhere.

But I do have a dictionary and a thesaurus. I need a new dictionary, though...

Good luck with your book of words!

**I LOVE that video you posted, Poe! It made me laugh and was very entertaining. I'm just like that guy. I have post-it notes everywhere. Just last night, I was going through this folder-thingy and right above my papers were a bunch of stuck together notes that I had from way back. Glad to see it's normal. :)

I'm always surprised when I read statements like this. I've seen on agent blogs where they give out those dreaded statistics of how many people they rejected for the month/week/day and how aspiring authors will comment about how it's depressing and demoralizing it is. When I read those stats I tell myself that my manuscript is going to be good enough to be that 1% that gets read by the agent. If you don't have faith in your own work then who will. My writing is perfect write now, and I'm working on my first novel. There's probably a snowballs chance in hell that it'll be published, but I'm writing for the experience, and when I'm finished I'll start on a sequel. If I feel it's good enough to be queried then I'll query. If not, then I'll move on and continue to improve my writing. You just have to have faith that you can put out the type of work that they want. I'm having fun writing my novel, which is why I'm not worried about whether or not it gets published. I almost cried when I made it to the 50% point of my novel. I'll be happy just completing it, because that's a major feat in itself, especially if its your first novel. I have read writing articles over the Internet and I've bought a writing book or two. The next book I'll buy will be Stephen King's On Writing, because I've heard it's really good. To be honest, I'm taking this very seriously, because I am an aspiring author, so all the advice I've read I've taken it to heart and have incorporated it into my novel, and it has greatly improved it. I haven't done any editing yet, but when I'm finished with the first draft then I'll go back and remove all those adjective and adverbs I know I have and rewrite those sentences. I'll also go through the process of copying a chapter or two from my favorite novels because this will also help with my writing. But, I'm having too much fun to care about whether or not my novel is good enough right now. I'll edit it to death, but even with the data agents and publishers give regarding manuscripts isn't going to deter me, because I have faith in my writing and I know I can meet whatever demands they're asking. But, that's just me and where my confidence stand.

Back in the wonderful days when I was home schooled, my dad would have me read tons of books, and every time I came across a word I didn't know, I'd write it down, then at the end of the week, look up every word I had found. It was a nice system.

I also once read a dictionary found in my grandmother's house, just for the sake of having something to read, and found a word that has been my favorite word since then, which is 'tipple'. It means to drink lots of liquor in small quantities. Timmy the tippler got tipsy after lots of tippling. Tipple tipple tipple tipple tipple tipple tipple! Such a profound word!

I love the English language.

No, but my mom tells me about one of her uncles who, everytime he came across a word he didn't know in a book, would look up the word and write it in the margin so that the definition would be there the next time he read it. Sometimes I'll do this, but not all the time.

But this Book of Words idea is absolutely darling! I'm actually interested in starting my own. I just don't know if I'd become more obsessed with the organization than with the words. I mean, they have to be in aphabetical order but you can't do that when you're constantly adding words....

Props to that guy :)

Well I've never titled it the "book of words" or anything but I do actually have a notebook where I write unfamiliar words I come across with, especially when reading. I also use it to write nice and memorable quotes I find in books.

That is just such an awesome idea.

It really is sweet, and so handy! I mean, our vocabulary would exponentially expand if we could remember every new word that we come across. By documenting them, we are doing just that!

I don't have a 'book of words' but I do have a little book/diary thingee where I write down any lines off movies and books, or quotes, scenes, etc...

It comes in handy when writing.

:D

Actually, I do!

(My sisters found it. Guess who's the butt of their jokes? ;D)

I don't carry it around everywhere, but it's always by my side when I'm reading. If I come across a word that I don't know, or I *do* know, but always forget, I jot it down. Then I look up the definition later. Because of this, I constantly have a favorite word (As of now, I love the words "mundane" and "unbeknownst.")

My vocabulary definitely grew, and I'm able to read terrible books, in search of good words.

I don't have a "book of words", but I keep a "journal of quotes and other interesting tidbits" where I write down things people say or do that I could use later in my writing. Some of my best material has been inspired by stuff in that book.

Yes I do. Whenever I find a word that's too cool to lose in my dictionary I write it in a separate notebook where I store all my forgetables; words like confabulate, or lackadaisical. I feel silly now :(

Edit - I have a post it obsession too Goldfish :) It's not all bad:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IeSqVboADw

I had one of those. But I really want a pocket dictionary, so I don't need to write the words down.